Discover the impact that SNAP has on the community

SNAP’s vision is to provide a safe environment offering a wide range of support and specialist services with the aim to increase resilience and empowerment within our families. SNAP’s ethos is about strengthening all members of the family.

SNAP – Special Needs And Parents

SNAP – Special Needs And Parents – is an Essex charity for families with children and young people who have any special need or disability. SNAP's aims are to inform, encourage and support parents and carers so that they can grow in strength and knowledge and become better equipped to give the best possible help to their children.

Challenge Yourself

Ever tackled a marathon? Jumped out of a plane? Or run through mud for fun? These are the kind of challenges that SNAP supporters are undertaking to raise money for the charity.

Three-mendous reasons to take on a charity challenge:

1.Go for it! – raising money for a charity such as SNAP could be the final encouragement for you to sign-up for a challenge that you have been contemplating for ages.

2. Fitness boost – knowing that your sponsors are relying on you to train properly and complete your challenge will give your preparation purpose and your training to fly by.

3. Personal development – fitness benefits aside, taking on a charity challenge will leave you with a great sense of achievement and introduce you to like-minded new friends!

We’re more than happy to help you out of your comfort zone and change the lives of others in the process. SNAP’s team will be with you every step of the way if you decide to raise funds for us.

We can give you advice on ways to get sponsorship, offer guidance on raising awareness of your fundraising through social media, share helpful information and put you in touch with other people who have done similar things.

And, of course, we’ll be there to give you a big pat on the back too! Go on, you know you want to!

SNAP couldn’t continue its valuable work without the active involvement of the local community and the support from generous people who help to raise funds and spread awareness of our good work.

You may already have a challenge in mind, if not take a look at our A-Z of Fundraising Ideas to find that chance to go for it…

How your money helps SNAP families

Parents and carers attending regular services and activities at The SNAP Centre

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Helpline telephone calls and emails

#lovemud

Paul got stuck into the Nuclear Fallout Mud Race

Mud, mud glorious mud, there’s nothing quite like it… That was certainly the verdict from a team of SNAP supporters who tackled the Brentwood-based Nuclear Races ‘Nuclear Fallout’ race, the toughest and muddiest event in their calendar.

“For years I have to admit I have always steered clear of these races for some reason,” jokes team member Paul. ‘But once you have visited The SNAP Centre and start talking to friends and family you realise how much they are doing in the community to support families, a fair few of which I know personally. When a friend suggested doing the race, I was straight in!”

“We got a team together full of our mates from our business networking group – EBN Hornchurch – and training got underway. Well, a variety of different levels of training, some were avid visitors to the gym, and for myself, I never quite made it.”

“I was a little apprehensive on the morning of the event because of how cold it was, it was the first week of November. It wasn’t too bad apart from the freezing cold water at the bottom of the deathslide. And you get muddier than you can believe, but then you are never too far from some water to wash it off.

“Being in it as a team was such a high point, we all encouraged each other to the max, and we stayed together from the start until the end helping each other over every obstacle.

And Paul would definitely encourage others.

“This was definitely a challenge, but was such satisfying day raising money for such an amazing organisation doing lots of work to ease the lives of families, even ones very close to you that you may have not expected.”

#lovejumpingoutaplane

Grace took part in a team skydive

Grace toasted her return to terra firma after completing a charity team skydive. Grace has volunteered at The SNAP Centre for more than six years as SNAP has helped her family, and was more than happy to fundraise, though she confessed she was very nervous about the team skydive itself. Her nerves were not improved when bad weather postponed the skydive for another day, but she says it was an unforgettable experience.”The skydive itself was exhilarating and the support was incredible. I had a massive sense of achievement (and relief!),” says Grace, whose team effort raised an amazing £5,623. “I cannot think of a better, more deserving charity and I am so glad that I have been able to raise money for SNAP, while doing something exciting and ticking it off my bucket list.”

#loveselfcontrol

Aron stopped drinking in the lead up to Christmas

For Aron, going a month without drinking alcohol was particularly tough in the run up to the festive season, but as he says, he wanted to do something that was challenging but achievable. “I could see it was such an important charity that helps so many; it’s such a worthwhile cause,” explains Aron. “I wanted to find something that was challenging and a bit of fun, but would also be achievable in line with my day to day schedule.” Aron spread the word about his Just Giving page and raised £1,760.

Aron has since gone on to take on other challenges for SNAP such as the Brentwood Half Marathon, and cycling the Tour de France course!

#loverunningalongway

Rob ran the Brentwood Half Marathon

Rob ran to say thank you to SNAP for the support it has given his daughter who has autism and cerebral palsy, and the rest of his family. “The help SNAP has given Isabella and the whole family has been amazing and I felt I had to repay the charity back in some way,” says Rob. Having always been keen on running, Rob felt that completing a half marathon was apt and as he says: “If my daughter can survive what she has been through then I can survive a half marathon. “Rob says the sponsorship he received spurred him on and on the big day itself the support he got from The SNAP Team and well-wishers along the course was a great boost. Completing the course in one hour 47 minutes was quicker than Rob expected but the real thrill came from raising £3,770.

“I would definitely recommend running the Brentwood Half Marathon; it’s a great day; I felt a great sense of achievement personally and to help SNAP as well was the icing on the cake.”

#lovecyclingwithtwelvelegs

Keen cyclists tackled a six person tandem

SNAP is £3,000 better off thanks to the unusual cycling antics of a team from the Round Table. Members of the Great Dunmow Round Table cycled 120 miles on a six person tandem to Loughborough to raise money for our charity.

The team from Great Dunmow – supported by other local Round Tables – took part in the organisation’s national sporting weekend

The cyclist left Essex at 6am and arrived in Loughborough at 5pm – receiving great support from the public along the way – in time for the sporting weekend opening ceremony. They then topped their memorable day by winning the tournament.

Steve, chairman of Great Dunmow Round Table, said: The ride was extremely challenging but we all had an absolute blast, hopefully the money raised will go some way to helping SNAP to continue their fantastic work in supporting Essex families.”

#loveagoodwalk

Joy took part in the Thames Bridge Challenge

Star trekker Joy took part in the Thames Bridges Challenge with her husband Ian and relished the opportunity to give to her local community.

“I’ve known about SNAP since it began in 1994 and I’ve seen at close range the challenges that come with parenting a child with special needs and it’s inspiring to see the way SNAP has grown into the incredible charity it is today,” said Joy.

“I’m usually more of a box sets and sofa kind of person, but I decided that myself – and my husband – needed to get some low-impact exercise, and SNAP was the obvious choice to benefit from our efforts. I love London and the river, so trekking the 25k across the capital’s famous bridges was just right for us.”

“I just put on my trainers, downloaded an audio book to my phone and walked out the front door. The walk organisers sent me a whole pack of information about training, and as long as you walk regularly at whatever pace suits you and gradually increase the distance the training is fine.”

“I started a joint Just Giving page with Ian and just wrote a bit about SNAP and then shared this page on Facebook, as well as printing off a sponsor sheet for work. I think being sponsored made me less likely to chicken out, and helped me to discipline myself for training.”

“On the actual event day it was great fun. You get a great sense of taking part in a community event and because you’re walking, rather than running, you can chat to people you meet along the way. It was really pretty walking over all the bridges and we were lucky with the sun. There’s a halfway stop for refreshments and at the end there was a reception on a boat on the Thames.”

Joy was proud of her achievement – and medal – and was also delighted to have raised £1,151 for SNAP.

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